10 adult colouring books for your next holiday

The days when colouring books were dismissed as something for children are long gone. Now you’re just as likely to see a grown-up totally immersed in one, thanks to a new wave of adult titles that have been snapped up for their de-stressing qualities.

Adult colouring books first became a craze in the 1960s, but their comeback began in 2012 when titles by illustrators like Johanna Basford and Millie Marotta made their way quietly onto the high street’s bookshelves. Fast-forward a few years and, not only have Basford and Marotta been transformed into household names as a result, but their colouring books have become worldwide bestsellers. By 2014, the two highest-selling books on Amazon were in fact adult colouring books, just as the word ‘mindfulness’ became part of our day-to-day vocabulary. And in 2015, sales of Basford’s Secret Garden – the one that started it all – had reached the 1.4 million mark.

It’s a trend that shows no sign of stopping in 2016. Tomorrow is National Colouring Book Day and, over the next month or so, a raft of new titles is set to be released in time for Christmas, with sales of pens and colouring pencils at an all-time high as a result.

Not to be outdone, we’ve released a mini colouring book for adults staying at selected long-haul Sensatori resorts this summer. And it’s not just any colouring book. Inside, as well as illustrations depicting scenes from Sensatori resorts, there are spreads based on photographs taken by none other than Helena Christensen. The internationally acclaimed model, designer and photographer lent her design skills to a one-off range of boyfriend shirts inspired by our long-haul resorts, and put her photography skills to good use in the process – the result of which can be seen in all their glory in the new book.

If you’re setting off to a Sensatori resort over the next few months, keep your eyes peeled for the books. And even if you’re not, you can still get involved. You can download the colouring book, and also colour in this postcard and share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – tagging a friend you’d like to take with you – to be in with a chance of winning a £250 holiday voucher each. Just take a look at all the terms and conditions on the TUI Holidays Facebook page.

And if all this talk of colouring books has inspired you to pick one up ahead of your next holiday, take a look at nine more of our favourites. From 2016’s hottest new releases, to the books that started it all off, these are the ones we’d recommend. Just don’t forget your colouring pencils…